Method of forming valves for internal-combustion engines



Sept. 29, 1925. 1,554,997

H. FORD METHOD OF FORMING VALVE5.FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES FiledJan. 12. v192 4 WIT/V5195 latented Sept. a9, 1925.

HENRY FORD, F DEABBOBN, MICHIGAN.

METHOD OF FORMING VALVES FOB. INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

' Application filed January 12, 1924. Serial No. 685,825.

To an whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Harmer Form, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Dearborn, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods ofForming Valves for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the followingis a specification. t

The object of my invention is to provide new and useful improvements ina. valve for internal combustion engines of simple, durable, andinexpensive construction.

A further object of my invention is to provide av valve which willcombine the efficiency of the various types of valves with I which I amfamiliar and the advantages of such valves into one structure.

A further object of my invention is to construct a valve which has ahead designed to minimize warping and pitting, which will withstand theaction of the cam on the valve stem with a minimum amount of wear andwhich will have a stem of soft steel so that the stem will notcrystallize and break.

A further object of my invention is to provide a valve which may beconstructed with a minimum loss of material.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in thearrangement, combination, and construction of the various parts of myimproved device. as described and shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 shows in elevation a valve constructed in accordance with myinvention.

Figure 2 shows the blank from which the stem is made.

Figure 3 shows the stem blank after one operation has beenperformcdthereon.

Figure 4 shows the valve after the various operations have beenperformed necessary to make the valve except the finishing operations ofmachining and grinding.

Figure 5 shows a similar view where a somewhat diflcrent method offorming the valve has been employed.

Figure 6 shows a view of the blank-which is used to form the end of thevalve stem which butts against the cams.

in the specification. claimed in my claims,

steel like that just Figures 7 to 10 inclusive illustrate the steps inthe forming of the edged the valve which does the work.

Figure 11 shows an alternate form in which my invention may beaccomplished, an

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate still another form in which my inventioncan be worked out.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

I have used the referenceletter A to indicate generally a cylindricalrod from which is formed the Sam of my improved valve. This stem rod iscut to' appropriate lengths from bar stock and these lengths are placedin a coldheading machine and the head formed thereon which isillustrated at 10 in Figures 5 and 11. I preferably form this stem froma steel having a high elasticity and having a medium amount of f carbonin ord'erthat I may secure the qualities of toughness and durability inthe stem. The end of the stem which has not been cold headedis thenfinished by welding to it a cylindrical slug B? which is illustrated inFigure 6 and which is preferably formed from a material such that whenthe heat is applied thereto for welding it to the stem A then that thisheating and subsequent cooling will automatically harden the material ofthe slug B to give it the proper wear resisting qualities to resistacticn of the valve operating cams.

The working edge of the head-of the valve is formed from a materialadapted to resist warping due to high temperatures and rapid changes oftemperatures and adapted to resist erosion from heat or flame. A largenumber of materials have been tried for this purpose but I have foundmost satisfactory for my valve the type of steel having definitepercentages of silicon and chromium. It is my intention to use adescribed or one of similar qualities.

I prefer to form this working edge of the val'vc by cutting wire of therequired material into proper lengths such as is shown on Figure 7 thenbending these lengths to a substantially circular form as is shown inFigure 8. The ring thus formed is then welded as indicated at 11 inFigure 9 and placed then the flash from the weld is trimmed and the ringis trued so that it takes the form shown in Figure 10. This ring C isthen placed around the cold headed part of the stem A and welded inplace as is illustrated in Figures 4, and 5. After the ring C has beenwelded to the head 10 as isillustrated in Figure 4:, then the blank isin a punch press while still hot from the welding and mashed down tosubstantially the form shown in Figure 1. Leonsider this an importantfeature of my invention as I am thereby enabled to use the weldingmachine welding heat for the final upsetting of the blank. Of coursethis final upsetting might be accomplished by the electrodes of the butI prefer to accomplish it in a separate press. The valve with theworking edge so formed is then machined and ground to form the productillustrated in Figure 1 which is a valve adapted.for use in connectionwith the internal combustion engines now in use.

Referring to Figures 3 and 5 it will be noted that the cold headedportion 10 in Figure 3 has straight edges, while theportion 10 in Figure5 has edges which are beveled to form an angle of approximately thirtydegrees. By shaping the parts as shown in Figure 5, I am able to usevertically reciprocating welding ele trodes for welding the ringC to thecold headed portion 10 and at the same time the coni al shape of thebeveled edges of the portion 10 will cause the ring C to be stretchedvery tightly around the portion 10 so that a continuous welding contactbetween these parts will be insured.

It is possible to form the ring 0 from a disc or block by forging or ina coin press but l. prefer to form the ring in accordance with themanner herein outlined as the grain of the steel is better reservedtilll't'lly and less material wasted.

Referring to the structure shown in Fi ure ll, it will be noted that thering is formed preferably in a coining press or punch press from sheetmetal to the shape of a hollow cone frustum and the upper edge of thisfrustum is welded to the outer edge of the. head 10 in a manner similarto that used for welding-tho ring C to the 4 head 10 in Figure 5. herethe cone frustum shown in Figure 11 is used, then the welding electrodesmay be used for flattcn ing down the head to sul'istantially the shapeshown in Figure 1, or the blank while still but may be placed in a pressand up-sct to the desired shape.

Referring to the form of device illustratedin Figures 12 and 13, it willhe noted that the ring .C there shown is also in the shape of a hollowcone frustum which, however, 'is inverted so that the smaller'ondthereof is downward. The head 10 of the stem A for use in connectionwith this form of device is formed in an rip-setting machine of propertype to complete the cone of the ring C so that the two-when weldedtogether will form substantially a cone structure which may then beflattened out as illustrated in Figure. 1. "This flattening may beacomplisbed while the head is still hot from the welding in the mannerwhich has heretofore been described in connection with the other formsof my improved valve.

Among the many advantages arising from the use of my improved structure,it should first be pointed out that every portion of the valve may bemade from the material which is most-appropriate for that particularportion: that is, the working edge is made from heat resisting material.the stem .15 made from tough materiahand the cam face is madefrom-extremely hard material; This valve not only insures propermaterials for each of the functionsof tbevalve but it may also be madewith a minimum wastage of material. For instance,T-have weighed theblanks necessary to form my improved valve and the blanks necessary toform valves'by .some.other' methods with which I am familiar and findthat there is a difference of more than twenty-five percent. method notonly is'thevalve made thoroughly ellicient and the materialwastagereduced to a minimum, but also the material from which the blanks aremade is in the form which is most readily secured. namely bar stock orwire. and the stock is, therefore, cheaper. T

Further advantages result in the use of my improved valve stmctpre inthat l have so designed the parts and blanks that they may By myimproved be made from strip or sheet stock which is readily secured andrclativcly'chcap and also because in the forming operations the'material to one end of a stem and of welding a lug of wear resistingmaterialto the otherend of the stem.

2. The method of forming a valve. consisting of upsetting one end of astem blank and then welding tothc up-set portion a ring of heatresisting metal formed by bending a length of wire stock of suitablematerial to circular form and then welding the ends of the wire stocktogether to form the rinsx.

3. The method of forming a. valve considing of welding to a stem member:1 lug vi material such that the heating of the lug and its subsequentcooling during the wel ling will automatically harden the lug to give a,wearing resisting surface of great durability.

4. The method of forming a valve eonsisting of up-setting one end of astem member of relatively tough material L0 form a head, then welding aring of heat resisting material to the edge of the head, and thenupsetting the head 21ml ring while-still hot 10 in form the valve headto substantially the dimensions required.

HENRY FORD.

